Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2004
34 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has held discussions with his Cypriot counterpart with regard to the possible accession of Turkey to the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30021/04]
View answer43 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position with regard to Turkey’s application for membership of the European Union; the further position with regard to EU negotiations with Turkey for membership; his position on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30101/04]
View answer46 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the consideration that is being given to opening formal discussions with Turkey on accession to the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30020/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 43 and 46 together.
The Helsinki European Council in December 1999 decided that Turkey is a candidate country "destined" to join the European Union on the basis of the same criteria applied to other candidate states. The Copenhagen European Council in December 2002 made the clear commitment that if the European Council meeting in December 2004 decides that Turkey has fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria, the EU will open accession negotiations without delay. This commitment was reaffirmed most recently by the European Council on 18 June 2004, under Ireland's Presidency. The political criteria require a candidate country to achieve stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities.
The June European Council welcomed the significant progress made to date by Turkey in the reform process, including the important and wide-ranging constitutional amendments adopted in May. It also welcomed the continued and sustained efforts of the Turkish Government to meet the Copenhagen political criteria and emphasised the importance of concluding the remaining legislative work and accelerating efforts to ensure decisive progress in the implementation of reforms at all levels of administration and throughout the country. Legislative work has continued in Turkey in recent months. I welcome in particular the adoption by the Turkish Parliament in September of a comprehensive new penal code.
On 6 October, the European Commission presented its regular report for 2004 on Turkey's progress towards accession, together with its recommendation, for consideration by the December European Council. The Commission noted that Turkey has made substantial progress in its political reform process, particularly in the past two years. It drew attention to a number of reforms which have been legislated for, but which have not yet entered into force. The Commission concluded that in view of the overall progress of reforms, and provided Turkey brings into force the key outstanding legislation, it considers that Turkey sufficiently fulfils the political criteria and recommends that accession negotiations be opened. The issue of the timing of any negotiations would be a matter for decision by the European Council.
In its recommendation, the Commission noted that the irreversibility of the reform process in Turkey, and, in particular, its implementation with regard to fundamental freedoms will need to be confirmed over a longer period of time. It suggested a detailed strategy for the pursuit of negotiations, which would reinforce and support the reform process, and noted that accession negotiations with Turkey would be, by their very nature, part of an open-ended process whose outcome cannot be guaranteed beforehand.
The Government has welcomed the very comprehensive report and recommendation from the Commission. Turkey has made remarkable progress in recent years in the adoption of essential constitutional and administrative reforms. I expect the Turkish Government will maintain its efforts over the coming weeks to ensure that the conditions are in place for a positive decision by the December European Council, leading to the opening of accession negotiations.
The question of Turkey's accession has been the subject of political debate in all member states. Obviously, Cyprus has particular concerns which have been explained by Foreign Minister Iacovou at meetings of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, which we have both attended since the presentation of the Commission report and recommendation. The EU has welcomed the positive contribution of the Turkish Government to the efforts of the UN Secretary General earlier this year to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. However, Turkey still does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus, which has been a member state since 1 May. It is important to note that any accession negotiations will be held in the framework of an Intergovernmental Conference consisting of all 25 member states of the EU. I hope the Turkish Government will respond without further delay to the invitation from the June European Council to conclude negotiations with the Commission, on behalf of the Community and its 25 member states, on the adaptation of the Ankara agreement on the establishment of the customs union to take account of the accession of the new member states.
